Feeder for power printing-presses



(ModeL) 7Sheets-Sheet 2. L. ORSER.

FEEDER FOR POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,058. Patented July 2. 1889..

WK M 845% BY am ATTORNEYS.

N. FETERS, Phmo-Lllhn muher. Waahinglnm D. (L

(ModeL) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. ORSER. FEEDER FOR POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,058. Patented July 2, 1889.

WITNESSES INVENTOR 6462M BY g ATTORNEYS.

(ModeL) L. ORSER.

7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

FEEDER FOR POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

N. PETERS. PhnivLflhOflflP W, Washington, D. C.

(Model 7 Sheets-Sheet 5. L. ORSEE. FEEDER FOR POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406,058. Patented July 2, 1889.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

NV Pmns, Phoia-Uthagrapher, Wammgw r. o c

7 Sheets-Sheet. 6.

(Model.)

L, ORSER. EEEDEE EOE POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

Patented July 2, 1889.

IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS.

(ModeL) 7 Sheets--Sheet 7.

L. ORSER. EEEEEE FOR POWER PRINTING PRESSES.

No. 406.058. Patented July 2, 1889.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

2456 7 BY Juan/w g ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI ORSER, OF (TALVEITON, TEXAS.

FEEDER FOR POWER PRINTlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 406,058, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed December 29, 1887. Serial No. 259,294. tModel.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that l, LEVI ORSER, of Galveston, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Feeder for Printing-Presses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to feeders for printing-presses, and has special reference to its employment in power-presses in which the feeder takes up the paper from the feed-board, at the same time turning up its front edge, and carries and deposits it to be seized by the nippcrs. To accomplish this, lifters are employed which hold the paper by means of a mechanism which produces a partial vacuum, which is destroyed when the lifters have deposited the paper for the nippcrs.

In the construction of this device holders for holding and transferring the paper, one sheet at a time, are mounted on a horizontal rod, which is raised and lowered verticallyby a vertieally-reciproca-ting leverand carried horizontally by a verticallyswinging lever in sleeves which connect said levers, whereby they both swing horizontally. The vertically-swinging lcver referred to is mounted on a horizontal rock-shaft at the top of the machine, which is provided with a lever-arm having a retractingspring. From the horizontal rock-shaft de pends an arm, to which is secured a sleeve having the horizontally-swinging lever and the vertically-reciprocating lever above mentioned, the former being fixed thereto and the latter adapted to move therein. These levers pass through sleeves, to the upper one of which the horizontally-swinging lever is fastened and through which the vertically-reciprocating lever moves freely, with a retractingspring on the reciprocating lever located between the sleeves. The reciprocating lever is fastened to the lower sleeve and the horizontally-swinginglever slides therein. The horizontally-swinging lever is operated by a cam to swing it forward on its horizontal shaft, and thrown back to a vertical position by the spring-actuated arm on its shaft. The vertically-reci procatin g lever is actuated by a cam to raise it, and is drawn down, when released from the cam, by means of the retracting-spring located between the sleeves above mentioned.

The holders for raising and transferring the paper communicate with a vacuum-pump operated by a lever acted upon by a cam, said lever being provided with a cam-joint which wedges against and tightens a sleeve on the piston-rod of the vacuum-pump and carries down the piston, so as to destroy the vacuum when the paper is deposited. The several cams heretofore mentioned are mounted on the same shaft, driven by any suitable power. The cams are so timed in their construction that a vacuum will be produced to hold the paper while being transferred to the nippcrs. The holders are raised by the vertically-reciprocating lever and swung over to the nippers by the lIorizontally-swinging lever and deposited by means of the vertically-reciprocating lever. At this point the vacuum is cut off from the holders by the sleeve sliding on the piston-rod, in conjunction with the camjoint on the pivot-lever before referred to. By the further rotation of the main shaft and its cam the holders are raised and swung back and deposited on the paper on. the feed-board, the piston meanwhile having been drawn up to again form a vacuum.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similariigures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a front View of the feeder,show ing the lifters in position to transfer a sheet of paper from the feed-board to the nippcrs. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof with the framework brokcn away. Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 2, except that the parts are in position, when the holders have been raised, to transfer a sheet of paper. Fig. at is a similar side view showing the holders in position with the paper deposited. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the upper part of the machine, showing the vertical levers broken away and mounted on their horizontal shaft. Fig. (3 is a detail view of the device, with parts broken away, for turning up the edge of the paper. Fig. 7 is a modification in vertical section of one of the lifters with its connecting-tube broken away. Fig. 8 is a detail view showing thevacuumproducing mechanism with the cylinder in vertical section. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the upper portion of the horizontally-SWinging lever With the spring-actuated arm for throwing it into a perpendicular position. Fig. is a modification of the spring-actuated arm, showing it attached to the horizontal shaft. Fig. 11 represents, partly in section, a modi fication of the turner mechanism; and Fig. 12 is a front view thereof with connections broken away.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the frame-work upon which the feeder mechanism is mounted, and 2 the feed-board, having the retaining-plates 3 adjustably mounted thereon by means of nuts and pins 4, resting in slots 5 on the edge of the feed-board. The retaining-plates may be covered with rubber 6 to form a holding-surface for the edges of the sheets. In lieu of the rubber covering, metallic springs may be employed.

The holders for holding the paper when transferred consist of flat suction disks or holders 7, of rubber or other suitable material, connected by flexible tubes 8 with a pipe 9, leading to the cylinder 10 of avacuum-pump, as shown in Fig. 2. The tubes 8 are flexible, in order to allow for the vertical and horizontal movements of the holders 7. The holders 7 are mounted on ahorizontal rod 62 by means of sleeves 63 and set-screws 64, the sleeves 63 having clamping-plates 65, between which the tubes 8 are clamped and fastened by means of set-screws 66.

Instead of flexible tubes, rigid tubes might be employed connected to the pipe 9 by a universal joint to permit of the same range of movement. The disks 7 are flush with the ends of the tubes, as shown, but are flared up at the center and joined to the tubes 8 a little above the ends. They may be provided with stop-cocks, so that where several holders are in use and it is desired to remove one it can be unfastened and the tube closed.

The vacuum-pump consists of the cylinder 10 and the piston 11, having a cross-head 12, sliding on the standards or rods 13 of the frame-work and bearing against retracting coil-springs 14. The latter may be adjusted as to tension by means of sleeves 15, sliding on the rods 13 and on rods 16, mounted on the cross-piece 18, to which they are secured by set-screws 19. The piston-rod of the pisten 11 has mounted thereon a sleeve 21, having a projection 22, which is adapted to be brought against a stop 23. The sleeve 21 is provided with ears 24, in which is pivoted a cam-shaped joint 25, connected by a pin 26, resting in a slot 27 ,with alever 28. The camshaped joint is provided with a spring 29, suspended from a rod 30. A lever 28 is pivoted at 32 on an arm 33 on the frame-work 1, and carries a friction-roller 34, which is acted upon by a cam 35 to force down the lever 28, carrying with it the cam-shaped joint 25, and wedging the latter against the piston-rod 20, thereby carrying down the piston 11 and destroying the vacuum. Upon the lever 28 being released by the cam 35 the spring 29 draws up the joint 25, thereby releasing the sleeve 21 from the piston-rod 20 and allowing the latter to be drawn up by springs 14, acting on the cross-head 12 and creating the vacuum. The upward movement of the piston is lessened by the loosening of the sleeve on the piston-rod and the removal of the action of its lever. The action of the vacuum-produc ing mechanism times the movement in creat ing and destroying the vacuum in accordance with the movement of the lifting and transferring mechanism. The piston 11 should be kept covered with oil. The Vacuum-cylinder 10 is provided with a stop-cock 86 to draw off any oil which may work below the piston 11.

At the top of the frame-work 1 is mounted a horizontal rock-shaft 36, from which depends an arm 37, having a sleeve 38 secured thereto by a set-screw 39.

40 indicates the horizontally-swinging lever rigidly secured to the sleeve 38 and to a second sleeve 41 by means of a set-screw 42, and having its lower end adapted to slide in the sleeve 43. The lever 40 is provided with a V-shaped slotted portion 44, having afriction-roller 45 mounted therein,which is acted upon by a cam 46 to throw the lever 40 forward, the lever 40 being retracted to a vertical position by an arm 47, mounted on the rock-shaft 36, and a spring 48, connected with the frame-work 1.

49 indicates a lever which reciprocates vertically and swings horizontally. Its upper end is adapted to move in the sleeve 38, and is formed with a bent portion 50, having a slot 51,which engages the pivot-pin 52, carrying a friction-roller 53 on the lever 54, pivoted at to the frame-work 1. The connection by means of the slot 51 and pivot-pin 52 permits of a horizontally-swimging movement of the lever 49. Thelever49 is adapted to move freely through the sleeve 41, and is secured to the sleeve 43 by means of a set-screw 56. It is raised vertically by means of a cam 57, which moves in a slot in the portion 50 and bears against the friction-roller 53 on lever 54, and is drawn down by the retractingspring 58, mounted on the lever 49, between the sleeves 41 and 43. The cams 46, 35, and 57 are mounted on the shaft 59, which is driven by any suitable power.

For the sake of illustration, shaft 59 is shown as provided with a train of gearing 60, operated by a crank 61.. The sleeves 38, 41, and 43 connect the levers 40 and 49, so that they will swing horizontally together and also permit the lever 49 to raise and-lower the sleeve 43, and with it the turner mechanism, which will now be described.

In transferring a sheet of paper it is desirable to present the upturned edge of the sheet to the nippers. For this purpose, the suctiondisks or holders 7, which are secured to the horizontal rod 62,'are provided with a mech-' anism to tilt them slightly and lift up the edge of the paper. The rod 62 is provided with a lever 67, pivoted at 68 to a foot-piece 69, and at its other end is connected, by means of a slot and pin 71, with a vertical piece 72, having a rod 73, which is secured in the sleeve 74 by a set-screw 7 An arm 7 6 passes through the sleeve 7%, and bent outward and downward and fastened to the foot-piece 60. Rod 73 and arm 76 pass through a sleeve 77, the arm 7 0 being secured thereto by setscrews 7 8.

The operation of the turner device is as fol lows: The sleeve 43, when lifted by the lever 49, carries with it the sleeve 7 i and raises the forward end of the lever (57. The foot-piece 69 presses against the feed-board and thereby tilts the disks or holders 7 and raises up the edge of the paper. The turner movement is limited by means of the sleeve 7% abutting against the sleeve 77. The range of movement of the turner mechanism may be adj usted by means of a sleeve 80, which is adjustable 011 the rod 73 by means of a set-screw 81, as shown in I and 6. The turner mechanism carrying the holders is secured to the transferring-levers by an arm 7 i) on the sleeve 71-, which passes through sleeve 43 and is held therein by a set-screw. (Not shown.)

The operation of my device is as follows: A pile of sheets having been placed 011 the feed-board 2, the holders 7 are brought into contact with the top sheet, as shown in Fig. 3, by the revolution of the shaft 59 and the rotation of the cams It; and 57 from the position shown in Fig. i. The cam 57 raises the lever ti) and its connecting parts, carrying the holders, and the cam it swinging lever i0, lever if), and connecting parts with the holders over the feed-board 2, where the cam 57 permits the spring 58 to force the lever l0 and its connecting parts down, thereby bringing the holders 7 against the paper. In the position of the parts as shown in Fig. i the short arm of the cam 35 has forced down the lever 28, and by means of the cam-joint 25 engaging the piston-rod 20 the piston has been forced down, the vacuum destroyed, and the sheet of paper released. During the revolution of the shaft 50 and cams 57 and 445, as above described, the long arm of the cam is released from the lever 28, and the tension of the spring 29 releases the cam-face 31 from the sleeve 21 and draws up the latter on the rod 20 until its projection 22 abuts against the stop 23. The piston 11 is then drawn up by the reaction of the compressed springs 1i, and a vacuum is formed to retain the sheet against the holders 7 when in position, as in Fig. 2. I pon the further revolution of the shaft 59 the cam 57 is brought to the position shown in Fig. 3, thereby lifting the lever if) and the holders 7, carrying a sheet of paper and upon the further revolution of the shaft 59 the spring i8 swings the lever 40 and lever if) and their connections with the holders over to the nippers, (not shown,) and upon the release of the cam 57 from the lever 49 the latter is forced down by the spring 58, carrying with it the holders and paper sheet. The vacuum mechanism has during this latter operation operated as described above and the paper is released. The action of the turner mechanism at the beginning of the foregoing operation has been described above.

In lieu of the arm 47 and its spring i8, I may employ an adjustable tension device, as shown in Fig. 10, which consists of a spring 82, secured at one end to the rock-shaft 30 and coiled about it, and secured at its other end to a lug 83 on a sleeve 84 by being bent around it and over the sleeve 84, held on the rock-shaft 30 by a set-screw S5. The spring 8:3 may be tightened on the rock-shaft 30 by turning the sleeve 8% thereon and securing it by a set-screw 85.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification of the paper-holding disk, whereby a firm hold of the paper is secured. In this construction the center of the flexible disk 87 is made concave and the end 88 of tube 8 projects therein.

In order to lift a sheet of paper from a pile, it is necessary to lift one side first, in order to allow the air to pass between it and the next sheet, and it is manifest that the end of a tube, even though cushioned, could not accommodate itself to the inclined sheet or to a bent or rumpled sheet, and an aperture or opening would be left between one side of the sheet and the tube, through which the air would rush and prevent a vacuum. The air would pass into the holder-tube between its lower end and the upper face of the sheet, and therefore atmospheric pressure could not be exerted against the lower side of the sheet to press it against the tube; but I provide a thin flexible disk 87, as above stated, so that when the tube descends the disk will accommodate itself, by reason of its elasticity, to the position or bend of the sheet, and as soon as the air is exhausted from the tube, or suction begins, the atmospheric pressure on the upper side of the disk will press the edges of the disk down at all points, and the holder cannot fail to operate. By having the disk concaved on its under side the outer edges will first engage the paper, and an air-tight joint will be more quickly formed, and as the tube projects into the concavity the yielding of the disk will cause the sheet to be evenly presented to it, and no air openings or spaces can be formed between it and the sheet. I am aware that a pneumatic paper-holding tube has had its lower end cushioned by an elastic band, and I claim no such construction, for this band could in no way be affected by the atmospheric pressure, and could not form an elastic disk designed for or capable of the same operation as mine.

In the modification shown in Figs. 111v and 12 the turner consists of a horizontal vibrating lever 89, pivoted to a vertical rod 90, secured in sleeve or block i3 by set-screw 00. The forward end of vibrating lever has secured therein the rod (32, which supports paper-holding disks 7, and is provided at its rear end with friction-rollers 91, which may be covered with some soft material to avoid marring the paper. The lever 8.) also has a rod 92 on its rear end, on which one or more counterpoise-weights 93 may be placed, serving as a foot piece or rest. A sleeve or block 94, with projection 95', is secured to rod by set-screws 96, and serves as a stop to limit upward movement of lever 89 and lifters 7. WVhen the lever 49 is raised, it carries with it rod 90, an d raises the forward end of lever 89 and lifters 7 until stopped by projection 95. The rear end of lever 89 is held down by counter-weight 93, and the turner is drawn along by the swing of the transferring mechanism, with the lever 89 resting on rollers 91.

I lay no claim herein, broadly, to pneumatic holders raised and lowered and moved horizontally with a vacuum-producing device, for such I have already claimed in an application pending herewith.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a feeding mechanism for power printing-presses, the combination, with a rod or support carrying the paper-holders, of acombined mechanism for raising the holder rod or support, swinging it horizontally, and lowering it, consisting of ahorizon tally-swinging lever suspended from a rock-shaft, and a reciprocating lever sliding in coupling-sleeves secured to the horizontally-swinging lever, cams for operating said levers in one direction, and reacting springs for moving them in the opposite direction,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the pneumatic paper-holding tube, of a thin flexible disk on the lower end thereof to establish an airtight connection between the tube and sheet by atmospheric pressure on its upper side when the suction in the tube begins, substantially as set forth.

A suction paper-holding disk for printing-presses, consisting of a disk of flexible material, concave in the center and flat at the edges, and having its connecting-tube proj ecting therein, substantially as described.

4. In afeeding-machine for power printingpresses, a mechanism for raising and lowering the paper-holders, consisting of avertically-reciprocating lever connected to a pivoted lever by a sliding-pin connectioma cam moving in a slot and bearing against a frictionroller in the reciprocating lever to move it in one direction, and a retracting-spring, substantially as described.

5. In a feeding mechanism for power printing-presses, a mechanism for swinging the paper-holders horizontallyand moving them vertically, consisting of a horizontally-swinging vertical lever, a rock-shaft having bearings in which said lever slides, a cam for moving said lever in one direction, and a reacting spring actuating the rocksshaft, substantially as described.

6. I11 a feeding mechanism for power printing-presses, a mechanism for swinging the paperholders horizontally, consisting of a horizontal]yswinging vertical lever suspended from a rock-shaft having an adjustable reacting spring, and a cam acting 011 a friction-roller in a slot in said horizontally-swinging lever, substantially as described.

7. In a feeding-machine, for power printing-presses, the combination, with pneumatic holders, of a vacuum-producing mechanism consisting of a vacuum-pump, a cam, a lever forced down thereby and having a cam-joint connecting it with a sliding sleeve onthe piston-rod, said cam-joint engaging the pistonrod when its lever is forced down, and reacting springs to raise the piston-rod, and a mechanism for raising and lowering the holders, consisting of a horiZont-ally-swinging lever suspended from a rock-shaft, and a verticallyreciprocating lever slidin g in sleeves coupling the levers together, cams for operating the levers in one direction, and reacting springs for moving them in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

8. In afeeding-machine for printin g-presses, a turner mechanism for turning up the paper-holding disks, consisting of a frame provided with a horizontally-vibrating lever having a foot-piece and a rod carrying the paperholding disks, and a stop on the frame to limit the upward movement of the forward end of the vibrating lever, substantially as described.

9. In a feeding-machine for printing-presses, a vacinnn-producing device, consisting of a vacuum-pump, a cam, a lever having a camjoint to engage the piston-rod and provided with reacting spring, and a sliding sleeve on the piston-rod and to which the saidjoint is connected, aproj ection on said sleeve adapted to strike against a stop, and reacting springs to raise the piston,.substantially as described.

10. In a feeding-machine for power printing-presses, the combination, with a verticallyreciprocating lever operated by a cam and re acting spring, of a device for turning up the paper holders or disks, consisting of a vertical rod secured in a sleeve on the vertical reciprocating lever and moving in a sleeve sccured to a bent arm pivoted to a foot-piece having a pivoted lever in which the holderrod is mounted, and connected by a slotted joint with the vertical rod, substantially as described.

11. In a feeding-machine for power print having freely-movable connecting-tubes and mounted on horizontally-swinging vertical levers, one of which reciproeates in sleeves coupling the levers together, of a vacuumpump, a cam, a lever connected with a sliding sleeve on the piston-rod by a cam-joint to engage the piston-rod, and having a reacting and releasing spring for raising the piston, and a stop for limiting the upward movement of the sleeve, substantially as described.

14. In a feeding machine for printingpresses, a vaccuni-producing and cut-cit device consisting of cam 35, lever 28, operated thereby, cam-joint 25, spring 20, sleeve 21, to which the said joint is pivoted, projection 22 on the sleeve, stop 23, piston-rod 20, operated by the cam-joint and on which the sleeve slides, and piston 11, cylinder 10, cross-head '12, rods 13, and springs 14, sl'lbstantially as described.

15. In a feeding machine for printingpresses, a horizoiwally-swinging vertical lever suspended from a rock-shaft provided with a reacting spring adjustable thereon as to tension by means of a sleeve and set-screw, said swinging lever bein actuated by a cam, substantially as described.

16. In a [ceding-machine for power printing-presses, the combination of the shaft 59, driven by suitable power and having cams 35, 46, and 57, rock-shaft 36, having reacting spring, and arm 37, with sleeve 38, lever 40, secured to sleeves and 41 and sliding in sleeve 43, lever if), having a slotted connection with lever 54: and sliding in sleeves 38 l], and secured to the sleeve l3, and provided with a reacting spring 58, with a turner mechanism consisting of a rod secured in sleeve l3, carrying a sleeve, and a system of rods and levers, substantially as described, with a foot-piece, all connected to the paper-holder rod, as shown and described.

LEVI ORSER.

Witnesses:

N. O. HALL, M. J. NOLAN. 

